41 people arrested by ICE, thousands in cash seized in Dallas strip club raid
Thousands of dollars in cash was seized and 41 people were arrested after federal agencies raided a strip club in Dallas during an investigation of human trafficking and unauthorized employment, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office said in a news release.
Homeland Security Investigations, along with other federal, state and local law enforcement, served a criminal search warrant Friday at the Chicas Bonitas Cabaret near Harry Hines Boulevard, according to the release.
Among the 41 people arrested, 29 individuals were suspected of illegally working at the strip club, and were taken into custody for administrative immigration violations, the ICE release stated.
Approximately $30,000 and various business records were seized from the club during the investigation, according to the release.
“HSI Dallas is committed to eradicating the vile scourge of sex trafficking from our local communities,” Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard said in the release. “Working in conjunction with our federal and local partners and leveraging HSI’s unique investigative authorities, we were able to disrupt the suspected trafficking operation at this cabaret and are working to identify potential victims.”
ICE officials said five of the arrested suspects have previous criminal convictions.
Officials said that Juan Carlos Salas Medina, 30, from Mexico, has illegally entered the U.S. 10 times. Medina has previously been convicted of aggravated assault of a family member, possession of a controlled substance, and driving under the influence, according to the release.
Julios Cesar Martinez, 47, from Mexico has previously been convicted three times for assault causing bodily injury and DUI.
Victor Manuel Manzano-Ramirez, 47, and Gustavo Rojas-Garda, 44, both Mexican nationals, have previously been convicted for DUI , according to the release.
Genaro Diaz-Perez, a 44-year-old Mexican national, has been convicted of prostitution, the release stated.
The Dallas Police Department, the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigative Division assisted with the investigation, according to the release.